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Love and support for injured Ohio State DB Christian Bryant has been staggering, his father encouraged by his recovery process

Kerry Coombs on Christian BryantOhio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs on the Buckeyes missing Christian Bryant's leadership, and how he expects the senior safety to continue to lead despite his injury.

It is just incredible the amount of love and respect people have showed for Christian, and it just shows how much he touched people.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – For a broken ankle, the injury sustained by Ohio State safety Christian Bryant at the end of the Buckeyes’ 31-24 win over Wisconsin on Saturday, the average recovery period is roughly three months.

“That recovery time is for the average person, I just want to throw out there,” Bryant’s father, Ronnie, told Cleveland.com in a phone interview Monday afternoon. “Christian isn’t average. He’s not an average person mentally, physically or spiritually.”

Bryant, average? No way. That was apparent from the moment Urban Meyer delivered the news to the media that Ohio State had lost perhaps its most influential captain for the remainder of the year.

Clearly emotional, Meyer slammed his fist on the podium during his postgame interview in disbelief when it finally sunk in that Bryant, a former Glenville star, had suffered the injury.

“We took a shot to our team with the loss of Christian Bryant,” Meyer said during his weekly press conference Monday. “I can't say enough good things about Christian Bryant and what he means. I'm hoping we can bring him with us to Northwestern – he's an extremely valuable member of this team.”

Before Bryant was discharged from the hospital Monday morning on crutches – he was operated on Sunday morning – Ronnie said the entire team had shuffled in and out to visit Bryant.

That went from quarterback Braxton Miller, to special teams players, to three Glenville prospects – Marshon Lattimore, Erick Smith and Marcelys Jones – who were at Saturdays’ game on a recruiting visit.

“Christian called me this morning and shared some of the things with the team, and as a parent that makes you feel so much more comfortable knowing that your son is surrounded by so much love,” Ronnie said. “It is just incredible the amount of love and respect people have showed for Christian, and it just shows how much he touched people.

“Everybody had a different approach and a different relationship with Christian when they reached out or visited him, but still it was all the same with all the love, appreciation and admiration. Whatever he’s doing down there, he’s been successful at it. It all comes down to just being Christian.”

According to NCAA rules, it seems unlikely that Bryant would be granted a medical redshirt, thus ending his collegiate career. Though if he responds quickly to his rehabilitation, Bryant could potentially make it back in time for Ohio State’s bowl game.

Moving forward without Bryant puts Ohio State in a rough spot, but Ronnie said the family isn’t concerned about football at this point. Instead, they are just focusing on getting Bryant back healthy enough to do the normal things in life, like walking to and from class without the assistance of crutches.

“Football will take care of itself,” Ronnie said.

Bryant has been through this before.

As a freshman, Bryant contracted cellulitis in his foot and missed Ohio State’s final five games while battling back from an injury that could have threatened his playing career. This injury is more definitive – at least from a recovery standpoint – and Ronnie is confident his son, with the support system he has in place, will recuperate quickly.

“He has already gone through something and indeed got back on the field much sooner than he and others anticipated, and that gives him a higher level of hope moving forward,” Ronnie said. “And Ohio State football players aren’t the typical young men. They are used to pushing their bodies beyond the point of wanting it to stop or shut down. That will expedite his recovery physically as well as mentally.”

Monday was better for Bryant than the day before, or Saturday night after it happened. Ronnie anticipates his son will continue to close in on returning to his normal self.

It should help that Ohio State will continue to rely on him as if he wasn’t injured.

“There are only a few guys on every team that can stand in front of a team and talk with credibility, and Christian is one of them," Ohio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs said. "I don't think that will change now with Christian."

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